Using Motivational Enhancement among OIF / OEF Veterans Returning to the Community
Abstract
The main objective of the study was to test a motivational enhancement (ME) intervention to address barriers to engaging in mental health treatment for recently returned veterans of Operation Iraqi Freedom and Operation Enduring Freedom. The long term goal of the study was to increase veteran's participation in mental health treatment by using a Stages of Change model to reduce perceived stigma and barriers to treatment. The central hypothesis put forth was that veterans who receive motivational enhancement will demonstrate greater readiness to change and higher treatment program attendance than veterans who receive treatment as usual. This study demonstrates the difficulty and intensity in the recruitment of veterans in intervention studies for mental health reasons. Given that untreated mental illness can lead to many negative consequences and the stigmas associated with mental health use, veterans' engagement and retention in treatment are factors that require further research. The findings here suggest that the VA, DoD, universities and communities should develop projects that allow the use of resources and develop intervention of programs that enhance treatment usage among combat veterans. As a more general point, the study team feels there is a broader reason to continue this type of intervention study. An intervention such as the one described for this project could be of tremendous value to the many veterans now and in the future who are troubled by their war experiences yet are reluctant to commit to counseling. As a more general point, the study team feels there is a broader reason to continue this type of intervention study. An intervention such as the one described for this project could be of tremendous value to the many veterans now and in the future who are troubled by their war experiences yet are reluctant to commit to counseling.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Dec 25, 2015
- Accession Number
- AD1002969
Entities
People
- Maurice L. Adams
- Ronald Murphy
- Shirley Thomas